


Her Sunshine, His Moonlight

by glue_factory



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama & Romance, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, and it's very long sorry about that, but it's adorable, don't forget to like comment and subscribe, please stay at home and wash your hands, this is pretty cute ngl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23978608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glue_factory/pseuds/glue_factory
Summary: Or the start of Beck and Jade.
Relationships: Beck Oliver/Jade West
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57





	Her Sunshine, His Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Rosa on my fic Temporary Cure asked for a Bade fic where "they meet for the first time." Lucy on my other fic Alone Together asked for a fic that's about "the start of their relationship." And an anon on my Tumblr (jadewestsaves.tumblr.com) asked for a first date fic. Why not kill three birds with one stone?  
> I present to you the longest fic I've written thus far. I hope you enjoy! :)

It’s his first day of Hollywood Arts High School, and he’s excited. Well, he’s nervous. Terrified actually. Hollywood Arts isn’t some ordinary high school. It’s a prestigious high school for extraordinarily talented students. It’s a school for future world-renowned dancers, chart-topping musicians, and award-winning actors. It’s a school for him. For him to pursue his acting dreams. For him to succeed in the beast that is Hollywood. For him to be himself. 

Unfortunately for him, his parents don’t agree with his dreams. Ever since he got his acceptance letter, they’ve been hesitant about his attendance. He doesn’t understand why. Sure, being an actor is an extremely unlikely and difficult career, but they should still believe in him. They should at least give him the opportunity to experience his dream. The chance to be happy. The time for him do decide his own future, not their future for him. 

He sits in his first period, biology, nervously bouncing his leg up and down and watching a few other students trickle into the classroom. Surprisingly, no one takes the seat next to him, but it’s still fairly early. It’s actually very early. He showed up ten minutes before the class actually starts, thinking he would get lost in this huge school. He didn’t, but a part of him wishes he did. He could’ve shown up with the rest of the students and sat next to one of them and not be sitting here alone twiddling his thumbs. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Beck sees another student sink into the chair next to him. The boy definitely looks way cooler than him by the way he dresses, with his dreads pulled into a ponytail, and with his sneakers remarkably clean. This boy exudes confidence. 

“I’m Andre,” the boy introduces himself and holds out his hand for Beck to shake. Andre smiles widely, showing all of his perfectly straight, white teeth. 

Beck shakes his hand and returns a tight smile. He greets simply, “Beck.” 

“So, Beck, what do you wanna be?” Andre asks while pulling a thick notebook out of his backpack. 

Beck swallows and smiles a little wider. This is the first time he doesn’t have to lie. The first time he doesn’t have to appease his parents. The first time he doesn’t have to feel ashamed of his dream. Proudly, he answers, “An actor. What about you?”

Andre hums quietly before explaining, “I love music, so maybe something in that.” 

Beck nods. Of course, Andre not only dresses better than him but also sounds cooler than him. Andre lists off a few instruments he can play and how long he’s been playing them, and Beck suddenly feels like he doesn’t belong. Anyone can act. He’s only been acting for the past year or two and not as seriously as Andre has been with music, but Andre is nice though. He isn’t bragging about his talent, which Beck appreciates. 

“Hey, what does your schedule look like?” Andre asks after ending his list of musical capabilities. 

Beck pulls the piece of paper out of his pocket and puts it on the desk next to Andre’s schedule. 

“Wow, it looks like we have every class together except Spanish and world history,” Andre points out and slides the paper back to Beck. 

Beck feels a wave of relief rush over him. He’s not going to be alone for the majority of the day. He’ll have someone to talk to, sit by, and eat lunch with. This day is already looking up for him despite his parents’ apprehension. 

It’s especially looking up for him when a tall brunette enters the classroom, followed by a rambling redhead. He can’t take his eyes off her. Her long brown hair. Her incredibly pale skin. Her all-black outfit. The two girls take a seat on the other side of the classroom, and Beck catches a glimpse of her blue eyes as she rolls them at the redhead. He’s entranced. He’s so captivated that he doesn’t realize that he’s staring until Andre waves a hand across his face and points to the teacher at the front of the classroom. 

* * *

Although it’s still the first day, Beck already considers Andre a friend. He’s a good listener even though Beck isn’t big on sharing. He’s easygoing and kind. Beck couldn’t ask for a better friend on the first day. 

They’re walking outside to the Asphalt Café to get lunch. Andre keeps describing his plans for his locker—something about a piano—but Beck hasn’t given it a second thought. They order their food and scan the café for a place to sit. All the tables are taken or full, and those that aren’t full definitely don’t want any freshmen sitting there. Beck looks nervously at Andre who's already nodding his head in the direction of a table and walking that way. 

Not wanting to get left behind, Beck quickly follows Andre and finds himself standing in front of the table across from the brunette and redhead he saw earlier and a nerdy boy with dark curly hair and a creepy-looking puppet.

“Hi, Andre!” the redhead chirps and waves at Andre and Beck, interrupting whatever the brunette was saying. The brunette looks Beck up and down with a look that raises the hairs on the back of his neck.

“Hey, guys,” Andre greets as he and Beck sit down. “This my friend Beck,” Andre says, placing a comforting hand on Beck’s shoulder. Pointing to the brunette, the redhead, and the nerdy boy, he introduces them respectively, “Beck, that’s Jade, Cat, and...”

“Robbie,” the nerdy boy completes the sentence, and the puppet in his lap speaks up, causing everyone to stare at him uncomfortably. 

“Robbie,” Andre repeats, not even acknowledging the puppet’s grumbling in Robbie’s lap. 

“We have algebra together,” Robbie points out, and Beck realizes that Robbie does look familiar. He just didn’t put the pieces together until now. 

“So, Beck, how’s your first day going?” Cat asks cheerfully before shoving a fry in her mouth. 

Beck swallows the lump in his throat when all the eyes at the table are on him. He runs a hand through his hair and answers, “Fine.” 

“He wants to be an actor,” Andre announces excitedly, and Beck freezes. He didn’t want Andre to do that. He wants to tell people on his own accord. Now they’re going to ridicule him just like his parents. His family. His friends from his old school. He’s never going to escape this. He feels his hands clam up and his throat tighten. 

“No way!” Cat gasps and grabs onto Jade’s arm. “Jade wants to be an actor too.” 

“Don’t touch me,” Jade snaps harshly and shakes her arm out of the redhead’s grasp. Beck flinches slightly and notices that it doesn’t even unsettle Cat and Andre. Robbie, on the other hand, is practically shaking. 

“She does the best impressions,” Cat says enthusiastically and pops another fry into her mouth. “Can you do one now?” she asks, her voice slightly whiny. 

“No!” Jade shouts, and Cat stops pushing and changes the topic of conversation just like that. 

Beck finds himself staring at Jade. She’s different from all the girls he met today. All the other girls bend to him the moment he introduces himself. They flirt with him and give their phone numbers to him when he doesn’t even know their names. He doesn’t like that, but if that is what most Hollywood girls are like, might as well get used to it. 

Jade catches him staring, and he immediately averts his gaze to his food, feeling his face heat up. His heart pound in his chest. His breath escape him. He tries to get lost in the conversation that’s happening around him and act like he was never staring in the first place, but he can feel her blue eyes on him, scrutinizing him. 

Beck isn’t even fazed when the bell rings and everyone else at the table jumps slightly, and he slings his backpack over his shoulder and picks up his trash while standing up. 

“Don’t you have Spanish next?” Andre asks Beck as they dump their trash in a nearby trash bin. 

“Yeah,” Beck answers after taking another quick yet reassuring glance at his schedule. 

“Hey, Jade, don’t _you_ have Spanish next?” Andre asks, adjusting his grip on his backpack. 

Jade shifts her glance between Beck and Andre before landing her eyes on Beck. “No,” she says firmly, glaring at him. 

“Yeah, she does,” Cat corrects and smiles. “You guys should walk together.”

The group of five strolls back inside, each of them heading a different direction and leaving Beck alone with Jade. The two walk silently down the hall. Beck tries to make conversation, but Jade ignores him. He’s just trying to make friends, but she doesn’t seem into that, so he drops it. 

He holds the door open, letting her inside the classroom first only to earn an eye roll from her. He doesn’t get it. He’s doing everything that’s expected of him. Opening the door. Trying to engage in small talk. Maybe he should try sitting next to her in class, but when he does, she gets up and finds a seat on the other side of the classroom. There goes that. 

* * *

He’s assigned to be her partner for their Spanish culture presentation. He doesn’t think this is a bad thing. He actually thinks it’s a good thing. A chance to get to know her. To bond. To really talk to her besides a few one-word exchanges. But the groan that comes out of her mouth after her name is said with his says otherwise. 

The project is simple. Compose a slideshow presentation discussing the cultural elements of the country they’re learning about in class and their impact on other countries. It shouldn’t be too hard. It should only take an hour or two if it isn’t for their minor disagreement on font choice. 

“I’m saying that you can’t have Comic Sans on this slide then Helvetica on the next,” Jade argues, pointing to the two slides she’s referring to. 

“And I’m saying why not?” Beck suggests and shrugs, not knowing why they’re arguing. It’s just a font. It’s not like it’s going to affect their grade. 

“Because it’s the worst font,” she explains matter-of-factly, raising her voice a little. 

Beck turns her laptop towards him and highlights all the text on the slide. He’s a little frustrated. He thought he would get to know her, but the only thing he knows so far is her hatred of Comic Sans. He sighs in exasperation, “Fine. We’ll just change all the slides to Helvetica.” 

He hears a huff escape from her before facing her with his eyebrows raised. “Happy?”

“No, that’s Helvetica Neue,” she answers angrily and yanks the laptop from his control, changing the font once again.

It looks exactly the same as it did before. Beck exhales and runs a hand through his hair, asking in a slightly annoyed tone, “What’s the difference?” 

Her blue eyes widen, and he swears they turn red for split second. He can see the anger growing in her expression, and well, he can’t help but think that she’s actually really pretty when she’s mad. And he knows that it’s wrong of him to think that way, but he can’t help himself. The way she glares harshly at him. The way she scrunches her face. The way she raises her voice. 

And for some reason, Beck finds himself leaning in closer to her as Jade retorts through gritted teeth, “The difference is—”

“Beck?” 

Beck quickly pulls away and jerks his head towards the direction of his mother’s voice. She isn’t supposed to be home for another hour, and he freezes, feeling a lump starting to grow in his throat. He’s not supposed to have guests over, especially without his parents’ permission. Especially when they’re not home. Especially when they don’t even know the guest. He’s in for a scolding of a lifetime. 

“Mom,” Beck utters once the words return to him. He feels his hands grow clammy and his throat tighten. 

“Beck, who’s this?” his mother asks pointedly, gesturing in the direction of Jade. 

Beck swallows hard and glances at Jade out of the corner of his eye, stuttering, “T-This is my friend Jade. She’s just—”

“Leaving,” Jade cuts in and quickly shoves her laptop into her backpack. It all happens so fast. Before he can take in all that’s happening, she’s heading out, saying, “I’ll finish this later.” 

The front door slams closed, and his mother’s fierce eyes meet his. Beck shrinks in his seat and hunches his shoulders over. 

“Beck Oliver!” his mother shouts, causing Beck to jump at the harsh tone. “You know the rules.” 

He does know the rules, but this was urgent. The project is due in two days, and today was the only day that their schedules aligned. And it was on such short notice that he didn’t have the time to ask to his mother and wait for her to respond, so he went for it. 

“Mom, we were just working on a project,” he tries to explain, but she’s not having it at all. 

“How many times do I have to tell you that you’re not allowed to have guests over if your father and I aren’t home?” she asks sternly, anger still prevalent in her voice. 

It terrifies him how she can control her voice like that. Fearfully, his heart pounds hard in his chest as he stutters, “I—”

“I don’t care if you were working on a project or not, I want to know who’s in my house,” she states, placing her hands on her hips. 

“I didn’t think you would be home so early,” he defends, but it feels like he can’t even defend himself. Everything he’s saying doesn’t even matter to her, so he gives up and just takes it. 

“You didn’t think I would be home so early? You think you can just sneak around in my house? You listen to me, mister. I don’t let you go to that fancy school where there’s no chance of you even becoming an actor for you to disrespect me,” she scolds, raising her voice. “You live under my roof, so I expect you to follow my rules. Do you understand?” 

Beck nods quickly, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible. 

She huffs, waving him off, “Go up to your room. We’ll finish this discussion when your father gets home.” 

Beck silently gathers his belongings and trudges up the stairs and into his bedroom. He lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what life would be like if his parents didn’t care so much. Expect so much of him. Control so much of his life. 

When his father returns home from work, Beck’s phone is confiscated for a week and television privileges are taken away for a month, and he is sent back to his bedroom after dinner. 

* * *

After a week of kissing up to his parents, he finally receives his phone back. And after another two weeks, he’s finally allowed to go over to Andre’s house for an afternoon to hear the new song his friend is currently working on. 

Beck tosses a small ball up in the air while Andre hits some random keys on his keyboard. Beck likes this. It’s an escape from his parents’ house and a much-needed break from them. They’ve been watching his every move and not allowing him to have a second alone ever since the incident, and he can’t take it anymore. It’s like they don’t even trust him. Any chance he has to get out of the house, he takes it, and this is the perfect chance.

“How does this sound?” Andre asks and plays a soft melody, breaking Beck from his thoughts. 

Beck doesn’t know much about music except for a few chords he can play on guitar, but he knows that this sounds spectacular. Andre looks up at Beck expectantly once he’s finished. 

“That sounds amazing,” Beck praises and tosses the ball in the air again. 

“Thanks, man,” Andre smiles and hits another key. “All I need are some lyrics, and I can perform this at the Full Moon Jam.” 

Beck just nods. He’s no good with lyrics, but he likes spending time with Andre. His parents don’t bother them, and Beck is pretty sure they left. 

A comfortable silence hangs between them except for Andre’s slight hum along to his melody. Beck gets up from his spot on the floor and starts examining the items on Andre’s bookshelf. Three talent show trophies. A plethora of books. A few picture frames. Then he comes across a picture of Andre and Jade. 

They look young and happy. She has a smile on her face that Beck has never seen before. He wants to make her smile like that. Make her laugh. Make her feel comfortable around him. He wants to hold her hand. Embrace her in his arms. Kiss her. 

Beck can’t take it anymore. He thinks he likes her. He thinks he really likes her. More than a friend, or whatever current relationship they have, should. He has to tell someone. Someone he can trust. Someone who will listen and actually care. 

“Hey, Andre,” Beck chokes out, slowly turning to face his friend, and Andre stops playing. Beck swallows the lump in his throat and takes a deep breath, ignoring the pounding in his chest. “I-I think I like Jade.”

“No shit,” Andre chuckles and returns to his keyboard. 

Beck knits his eyebrows together in confusion. There’s no way Andre knows. He’s been playing it cool ever since he met her. And maybe he does find himself entranced by her sometimes and chuckling to himself at the questionable comments she makes, but that’s all. It’s not like it’s incredibly obvious. 

“C’mon, man, you make it so obvious,” Andre speaks up. “You’re constantly staring at her, and you laugh at everything she says.”

“I didn’t think I was obvious,” Beck mumbles, shrugging, dropping his gaze to his feet, and feeling the embarrassment wash over him. 

“You are so obvious,” Andre clarifies, and that doesn’t make Beck feel any better. All this time he thought he was being discreet. A couple of hidden glances here and there. An occasional laugh. But apparently not. He can’t help that he finds her fascinating. “Everyone knows, even Jade.” 

Beck jerks his head up, feeling the heat rush to his cheeks. “Really?” 

Andre simply nods, and then it hits Beck. If Andre knows that Jade knows, maybe she told him everything that happened. Or maybe she told him how she feels about Beck. Or maybe she didn’t tell him anything at all. Either way, Beck has to know. 

“What did she say?” Beck asks in an unnaturally eager tone. 

“Man, you know I can’t tell you that,” Andre answers matter-of-factly. “I’ve known Jade since we were kids, and I don’t wanna ruin that trust.”

Beck understands and nods, turning his attention back to the bookshelf and admiring that photo again. 

“But I will say this,” Andre continues, catching Beck’s attention one more time. “Go for it and don’t be weird about it either. Just show her that you care.” 

Beck thinks over this advice and decides the next time he sees her, he’ll ask her out. 

* * *

He doesn’t ask her out the next time he sees her. He gets too nervous. The lump in his throat makes it impossible to breathe. The sweat stains become noticeable on his shirt. The pounding in his chest makes it hard to think clearly. He can’t do it. He leaves her locker the moment she comes into view. 

Today is different though. He has his lucky flannel on, mostly to hide the sweat stains, but nothing can stop the lump in his throat from forming or his heart from pounding out of his chest.

When he sees Jade and Cat turn the corner, Beck straightens his posture and nervously runs a clammy hand through his hair. 

Cat smiles and waves when she sees him. “Hi, Beck,” she chirps excitedly. 

“Hi,” Beck grins uneasily and shoves his hands into his pockets. He watches Jade yank her locker open and place a book inside.

“We were just talking about you,” Cat gushes, twirling a strand of red hair around her finger. 

Jade shoots a harsh glare at the redhead who beams like nothing is wrong. 

Beck anxiously shifts his balance. He wasn’t expecting Cat to come or even stay for this long, but he should’ve known. Anywhere Jade is, Cat is there too. 

“Well, get on with it,” Jade snaps and slams her locker closed.

Lost in thought, Beck raises his eyebrows a little and mumbles, “Huh?

“You’re at my locker,” Jade points out and crosses her arms over her chest. “Get on with it.” 

Beck swallows and lets out a shaky breath. “Jade, I was wondering if you would like to go out on a date with me?” 

“Oh, my God,” Cat gasps, covering one hand over her mouth and slapping Jade’s arm with the other. 

After a long pause for what seems like ages, Jade tilts her head to the side and simply replies, “No.”

Beck drops his head before quickly picking it back up. He should’ve known. He should’ve expected rejection. 

“No?” Cat nearly shouts incredulously. “But you were just saying—”

“No!” Jade exclaims firmly, and Cat doesn’t push any further.

All Beck can do is give a tight smile to the two before heading outside, remembering that earlier Andre told him not to give up that easily. 

* * *

It’s not that she doesn’t like him. It’s that she can’t. He’s all sweet and nice, and well, she’s not. They’re not meant to be together. He’s supposed to be with some perky girl with a permanent smile and a caring personality. Not her. Not someone who never smiles and seemingly doesn’t care about anyone. 

Besides, she doesn’t even know what he sees in her, yet he keeps coming back despite her refusals. Sure, he has beautiful brown eyes that she doesn’t know how she can say no to but does somehow. And maybe his dark hair is perfectly tousled, and she just wants to run her fingers through it. And somehow, he always knows the perfect thing to say to show that he actually listens to and cares about her. 

Girls line up just to get a glimpse of him, but he only shows an interest in her. Why her? What makes her so special? She doesn’t give him the time of day, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. She thinks it would, but apparently it doesn’t. Odd. 

But it’s frustrating because it’s like he never leaves her mind. Not when her parents are arguing downstairs. Not when she’s trying to drown herself in her script. Not when her brother is banging on her bedroom door, begging to be let in. He’s always on her mind. 

She can’t take it anymore. The shouting. The banging. The bright light of her laptop screen. The constant thought of Beck Oliver on her mind. She has to get away. She needs to escape. 

“Hey, Cat,” Jade sighs once her friend picks up after the third ring. 

“Hi, Jade,” Cat says cheerily. 

The arguing and knocking are only getting worse. Jade can’t stay here anymore. Shrugging, she asks, “Can I come over?” 

“Yeah, of course,” Cat answers, and Jade likes that about Cat. Cat is always there when she needs her and even when she doesn’t. 

“Okay, see you soon,” Jade exhales and hangs up. She grabs a bag out of her closet, shoving some clothes and her toothbrush in it. She saves the draft of her script and shuts her laptop. 

Jade leaves her house, telling her parents where she’s going, but she doubts they even noticed. They’re too busy bickering to even care. Luckily for her, Cat’s house is only down the street.

Soon enough, Jade finds herself in Cat’s bright pink bedroom, listening to the redhead ramble on about how her brother nearly choked on a bottle of ranch dressing. 

“But good thing he didn’t try to drink it because he’s not supposed to have dairy with his special medicine,” Cat finishes with an awkward giggle and slumps down next to Jade on the bed. “Anyway, what’s up with you?” 

This is Jade’s chance to tell someone how her parents are arguing more than usual. How she doesn’t think they’re going to last forever. How everything is going downhill and fast. Jade swallows thickly and takes a shaky breath. “Um, it’s just my parents—”

A loud gagging sound interrupts her. Cat’s brother must have gotten into the ranch dressing again. Great. 

Cat rolls her eyes and gets off the bed. “Wait one second.” 

Jade just sits on Cat’s bed, waiting for her to return. Maybe this is a sign she shouldn’t open up to anyone about what’s going on at home. No one else would understand anyway. All of her friends’ parents are happily married and not on the verge of a divorce. They just won’t get it, so there’s no use trying anyway. 

“Okay, I had to throw out the ranch,” Cat announces and closes the door behind her. “What were you saying?”

“Nothing,” Jade says quickly to avoid the topic of her parents altogether, and Cat gives her skeptical look that Jade brushes off entirely. She changes the subject. “Do you really think I should go out on a date with Beck?”

“Yeah!” Cat replies enthusiastically and practically jumps on her bed. “He likes you. You like him. I don’t know why you keep turning him down.” 

Jade just shrugs. Maybe she should give it a shot. 

* * *

Almost a week later, he asks her out again, and she reluctantly agrees after another long, awkward pause and a sigh. She instantly regrets it as a big, goofy grin spreads across his face. He looks insane, but it’s cute. She’ll never admit that aloud. 

When the doorbell rings, she practically runs to it, yanking the door open before anyone else can. 

“Hi,” Beck greets nervously and rakes his fingers through his dark hair. 

“Hey,” Jade exhales, adjusts the strap of her purse on her shoulder. 

“You look nice,” he flatters as she locks the front door behind her. 

She ignores the compliment and follows him to the car parked in front of her house. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” she asks frankly. 

“Nope,” he answers and opens the backseat door. 

She eyes him strangely since she’s being forced into the backseat. Then she notices his father in the passenger’s seat, and this day couldn't get more awkward. 

“Jade, this is my dad,” Beck introduces after climbing into the driver’s seat. “Dad, this is Jade.” 

“Hello, Jade,” his father greets coldly and barely turns back to look at her. 

“Hi,” she mumbles and leans back against the cloth seats. She closes her eyes, wanting this car ride to go faster, but Beck’s father has other ideas. 

Before they can go anywhere, he lectures Beck about the rules of the freeway. About how he should always signal and go with the flow of traffic. About how he should never ever go too fast and lose control of the car. This goes on for about five minutes, and soon enough the car starts moving, and Jade opens her eyes. 

After a long, uncomfortably silent ride, Beck parks few blocks down from a pizzeria that his father mentioned before they left her house. 

“I’ll be back at 9:30,” his father states firmly, “and I expect you to be here. Understand?” 

Beck nods quickly and gets out of the car, and Jade does the same before he can open the door for her. 

They walk to the pizzeria without mentioning the previous interaction, but it doesn’t make it any less awkward. Once inside, they sit down in a booth in the back, and Beck orders two lemonades and a pepperoni pizza for the two of them. 

“Why lemonade?” Jade asks, knitting her eyebrows together and trying to make conversation. 

“Because I like lemonade, and it’s amazing here. This is my favorite pizza place,” Beck admits and rests his hands on the table, taking a shaky breath. 

Jade doesn’t know what to say, so she doesn’t say anything. She sits there, staring at the posters and memorabilia graffitied on the wall behind him. 

“So, you passed _The Bird Scene_ on your first try,” Beck brings up, clearing his throat and grabbing her attention. 

“I did,” Jade nods, uninterested. This was discussed at lunch the other day. There’s nothing else to say about it. This date is incredibly boring. He takes her out for pizza and can barely hold a conversation with her. A part of her doesn’t even want to call this date. He seems so tense and anxious and unlike his usual relaxed self. But another part of her does. He’s one of the few people that doesn’t give up on her when she pushes them away. She likes that about him but doesn’t want to speak too soon. 

A server comes by and drops off their lemonades, and Beck reaches for his, instantly knocking it over on the table. 

“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry,” Beck mutters and wipes up the lemonade with his napkin, but it’s only making it worse. Eventually, the server returns with a new lemonade and a rag to wipe up the mess. 

Beck takes a breath and runs a hand through his hair. “I’m just really nervous. Can we start over?” 

“Why would we start over?” Jade asks, knitting her eyebrows together. Sure, it’s a little awkward and boring, but it’s not supposed to be perfect. 

“Well, my dad and the lemonade and the fact that I’ve never done this before,” he rambles rapidly. 

And the truth is she’s freaking out on the inside. She doesn’t know what to say. How to act. What to do. She’s just as bad as him, and Beck keeps babbling on about how nervous he is. It’s like he never considers she can be anxious too.

“Beck, it’s fine,” Jade says softly, placing her hand on his, and he abruptly stops his rambling and meets her gaze. “I’m nervous too.” 

She watches his body visibly relax as a wave of relief washes over him, and it’s better after that. It’s not awkward. It’s not uncomfortable. They’re able to have a normal conversation, and she likes that. It eases her nerves. 

Finally, their pizza arrives, and they devour most of it. And, of course, Beck insists on paying before they leave. 

“So, you have a vendetta against all ducks?” Beck chuckles, holding the door open to let her out the pizzeria. 

Jade rolls her eyes, annoyed that they’re still on this but not that annoyed. She likes that he’s interested and not just pretending to be. “Pretty much, and you really want a dog?” 

It’s cold out. Colder than Jade expected it to be. And it’s late. Really late. 

“Yeah, my parents won’t let me have one, so as soon as I get my own place, I’m getting one,” Beck explains and shoves his hands into his front pockets. 

Nodding, Jade rubs her arms to warm herself up as they walk back to where Beck’s father’s car is parked. 

“Hey, are you cold?” Beck asks softly and nudges her arm with his elbow. 

“No,” Jade mumbles sarcastically and crosses her arms over her chest. Suddenly, she feels his flannel draped over her shoulders. She meets his gaze, noticing the faint smile on his lips, and slips her arms through the sleeves. It’s warm, and she bites her bottom lip to suppress the smile that’s tugging on her lips.

They finish the walk in silence, and once returning to the car, Beck opens the backseat door, allowing for Jade to climb inside. 

When Beck positions himself in the driver’s seat, his father clears his throat and asks sternly, “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“It’s 9:30, right?” Beck replies, knitting his eyebrows together, puzzled. 

“It’s nearly ten o’clock,” his father corrects harshly. “I’ve been here for the past thirty minutes for you two to get back. Do you know how dangerous it is?” 

“But dad—”

“No buts,” his father dismisses coldly. “When I say to be back at a specific time, I expect you to be here. Do you know what would’ve happened to you? To her?” 

Beck starts to protest, “Dad—”

“Just drive, Beck,” his father sighs. “We’ll talk about this at home.” 

The ride back is more awkward than the ride to the pizzeria. Tenser. More uncomfortable. For once in her life, Jade can’t wait to go home, but for now, she rests her head against the window.

Finally, the car stops in front of her house, and Jade quickly gets out with Beck following her. They reach her front porch, and Beck grins sheepishly at her. 

“I’m sorry about that,” he sighs and scratches the back of his neck. 

Jade shrugs. “I still had fun.” 

He smiles at her, and she can’t help but let a small smile appear on her lips. Before she knows it, he's leaning in closer, and she finds herself leaning in too. His eyes quickly glance at her lips. It’s happening. Well, it’s about to happen. There’s nothing stopping them. And surprisingly she wants to kiss him, have his lips on hers, and forget everything that’s happening except this.

A honk startles them, and they break away from their trance to see Beck’s father pushing down on the steering wheel. 

“Goodnight, Jade,” Beck says and sluggishly trudges back to the car, leaving Jade on her front porch alone in his flannel. Moments later, she finds the divorce papers on the kitchen counter. 

* * *

She likes him more than she expected to, so that’s why she pushes him away. She doesn’t want to end up like her parents. Calling it quits after a series of arguments that only get progressively worse. Meeting his new girlfriend just days later. Festering a hatred for him. She doesn’t want that, so she avoids it altogether. 

She barely acknowledges him in the halls and the classes they have together. She doesn’t answer his texts. Occasionally she skips lunch, so she doesn’t have to see his sad eyes at all. 

She feels awful, but this is what she has to do to protect herself. To keep her heart from getting broken. To stop herself from falling too hard. Her heart can’t be broken if she doesn’t give it to him. Right?

She sits alone in the Blackbox Theater, reading over the script she finished and marking it up with her red ink pen. 

“There you are,” a familiar voice echoes in the theater. Jade tenses up and slowly looks up from her script. It’s only Andre. “I thought you might be in here.” 

Jade rolls her eyes and returns to her script, making another mark on the page. 

“So, what’s wrong?” he asks and sits across from her on the floor. 

Everything. Everything’s wrong. Her parents are getting divorced. Her father is getting remarried. And she’s falling for a guy who’s just going to break her heart in the end.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Jade lies and bites the inside of her cheek. 

“Then why are you in here and not at lunch?” Andre asks. He has a point, but she doesn’t want to tell him the real reason. Sure, she has known him since childhood, but he’s not going to get it. No one gets it. No one understands what it’s like to fall for a guy when the whole world is falling apart.

“I can’t read over my script with you guys talking,” she answers half-truthfully, hoping that Andre would buy it and move on, but she can tell he doesn’t. 

“C’mon, I’ve known you my entire life. You’re basically a sister to me,” he replies and chuckles lightly in an attempt to lighten the mood. “I know when something’s wrong.”

“Well, you’re wrong. Everything is fine,” Jade snaps and smiles bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the wall.

Andre rolls his eyes and purses his lips. “You know, you’ve been acting weird since...” he trails off and knits his eyebrows together. “Wait, is this about Beck? Did he do something to you? Because he told me what happened with the lemonade, and I didn’t think it was _that_ bad unless something else happened.” 

Jade shakes her head quickly. Well, it’s a little bit about Beck, but not in the way Andre is thinking, and it has nothing to do with that moment. “No, it’s nothing.” 

“Jade,” he says sternly, and she knows he’s not giving up anytime soon. Might as well tell him. 

“My parents are getting divorced,” she sighs and tucks a strand of brown hair behind her ear, “and my dad is getting remarried.”

Andre looks at her with concern in his eyes and raises his eyebrows, expecting her to say more, but she doesn’t want to say more. She wants him to accept what she just told him and move on, so she just goes back to her script.

“I’m sorry,” he says softly and platonically rests his hand on her knee. “That sucks, but I’m here. Cat, Beck, heck, even Robbie, we’re all here if you ever need anyone to talk to.” 

A faint smile tugs on Jade’s lips, and Andre returns a larger one. 

“Well, I’m gonna let you read over your script,” Andre announces and gets off the floor, dusting off his jeans. He starts to head out but stops when he reaches the door. “Also, can you please talk to Beck? He won’t leave me alone.” 

And with that, he’s gone, and Jade can’t focus on her script anymore because Beck Oliver is on her mind again. 

* * *

This time, she asks him out, scared that he wants nothing to do with her, but he surprises her when he agrees, grinning from ear to ear. They settle on going the Full Moon Jam together after getting burgers at a nearby fast-food restaurant. 

Now she’s sitting on a picnic blanket in the parking lot of Hollywood Arts with Beck and Robbie, who wasn’t invited, next to her. 

Robbie drones on about something his puppet said to him earlier, but Jade isn’t really paying attention. And she can tell Beck isn’t either by the way he nods absently yet steals glances at her. By the way he ensures that their knees are basically touching. By the way he smirks at her anytime they make eye contact. This would be perfect if Robbie wasn’t here. 

Cat runs up to the three of them, out of breath. “Robbie, Robbie,” the redhead pants, patting Robbie’s shoulder, “we really need your help.” 

“What’s wrong?” Robbie asks, concerned, interrupting his boring story. 

“Andre...” Cat trails off and purses her lips, shooting a glance at Jade. She can tell Cat hasn’t thought this far and is looking for an excuse. “Andre has stage fright,” Cat quickly makes up, “and he says you’re the only person that can help him get on stage.” 

“He said that?” Robbie asks and raises his eyebrows, astonished.

“Yes! Now come with me,” Cat begs and pulls Robbie up to his feet.

He whines, “But I was in the middle of telling Beck and Jade what happened—” 

“You can tell them later. Now come on,” Cat orders and drags Robbie away, leaving Jade alone with Beck.

It’s nice. It’s what she wanted in the first place. To be alone with him. 

“I like your piercing,” Beck speaks up and points to his eyebrow. 

Jade scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You said that already.” 

“I know, but it’s pretty,” he says softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re pretty.”

“Ew, gross,” she mumbles and pushes his hand away, but her face still flushes. As much as she hates to admit it, she likes it when he does that. When he says something incredibly sappy. When he tries to make her laugh. When he makes her feel like the only person he cares about. 

Beck simply smirks, and the presenter announces Andre to the stage. Jade turns her attention to her friend, slightly bobbing her head along to the music. That’s when she feels Beck’s arm carefully drape itself around her shoulders. She freezes for a second, glances at him out of the corner of her eye, and lets his arm stay there.

The song continues on with Cat providing background vocals, and all Jade can focus on is his arm around her shoulders and how comfortable it feels. He readjusts his loose grip around her, and she meets his brown eyes. He smiles lazily at her, and she feels like melting into his arms. He doesn’t ease the pounding in her chest especially when she feels his finger under her chin, bringing her lips to his. 

* * *

She likes him. A lot. She just can’t get enough of him. She finds herself awake in the early hours of the morning talking to him on the phone. Listening to him complain about his parents. Telling him the details of her parents’ divorce. She likes that he gets her and that she doesn’t have to explain herself. She likes that she can trust him and be herself around him. She likes him. She truly likes him. 

But after months of this. After helping him move into his RV. After being told to keep his flannel. After saying he could go on a date with another girl. After spending all of her time with him. She can’t stand not being his. Not being able to hold his hand, wrap her arms around his neck, and kiss him.

She keeps telling herself that she doesn’t want to get her heart broken, but it nearly broke her to watch him agree to go out with another girl. To hear the girl talk about how hot of guy he is. To not receive a call from him later that night. To not listen to the voicemail she gets the next morning.

Getting ready to go home, Jade shoves another book into her locker before slamming it closed and revealing Beck Oliver on the other side.

“I couldn’t go through with it,” he says casually, leaning against the wall beside her locker.

“What?” Jade asks, knitting her eyebrows in confusion.

“I stood her up,” Beck confesses plainly and runs a hand through his hair before smirking, “because I had another girl on my mind.” 

She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, but she still has to suppress a smile. There goes that Beck Oliver charm again that she never pictured herself falling for.

“I really like you, Jade, and I know I’ve said that before. I just really like spending time with you and getting to know you, and I was wondering if you would like to be my girlfriend?” he says and offers her a small smile. 

Swallowing thickly and tilting her head to the side, she stares into his eyes. She’s taken aback. Sure, she knows that he likes her and that she likes him, but she never imagined herself saying, “Yes.” 

“Yes?” Beck repeats, raising his eyebrows and letting his smile grow wider. 

Jade nods and presses a kiss on his lips. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote Beck Oliver to be so suave. Maybe Canadians just hit different. I wouldn't know.  
> It's finals season for me, but I'm still taking requests. Just drop them in the comments or on my Tumblr. I'll get to them soon.  
> Thank you so much! :)))


End file.
